blind side

Let us return to the exciting experiment I presented to you last week. As a practice of adjectives and pronouns, my beginner student had to collect 10 attributes that he felt describe him the most, for one. For two, he also had to ask at least 3 other people to list some adjectives they found fitting for him. The atrributes, then, needed to go on the appropriate side of the face (the left was reserved for his self-description, while the right was the space dedicated for the opinions of the others).

Just to give you a short evaluation about his experiences, the student reported to have enjoyed the home assignment, because -- not only did he learn new vocabulary -- he had fun with his colleagues and friends. All in all, he said the majority of the qualities others considered characteristic of him were in line with his own perception of himself. (Although it was funny how someone described him as lazy, whereas someone else called him meticulous, orderly, and tidy -- slightly contradictorily.)

But instead of going into an analysis of his figure, keeping his personal rights safe, I thought I would give some feedback on mine. Last week I filled out the "me" side and asked you to provide me with the "them" side. Your comments were highly appreciated, as they proved to be useful not only for the class but also for my self-consciousness. Observe the results:

(I know, I know. The head looks like an octopus.)

There were 4 adjectives that both me and you (them) found characteristic (sensitive, empathic, creative, and sporty). Almost all of the qualities listed on the right side I could agree with and, if I had more space, I would have included. (What was maybe a bit surprising was cosmopolitan -- here I would be happy about some explanation :-). All in all, however, the biggest lesson lay in the comparison of what type of qualities I considered to be my first and most characteristic features and what others considered them to be. I mostly chose what I labeled hard "individualistic" qualities, in connection with mental capacities and willpower (analytic and dedicated), while others saw me much more as someone whose soft "interpersonal" qualities are more emphatic (gentle and caring).

If you check the figure above, you will find the shared adjectives in white, my descriptions in yellow, and those of the others in orange (creative and analytic, right? :-). Although it is obvious the perspectives are different (me observing myself from the inside, while others through interactions, that is, from the outside), the distribution of the colors says a great deal. 

I must conclude, you helped me find my soft spot... or blind side.